Chapter 1 : C1 part7
Different World Nation Alchimyra -The Weakest King and the Unrivaled Army
Chapter 1 part 7
“The Beginning of Exploration”
Chapter 7: “The Beginning of Exploration”
A dense and lush forest unfolds before them.
The sunlight is blocked by towering trees, making it dim even during the day.
Occasionally, beams of light seep through the gaps in the leaves, forming thin lines that cascade downward.
It can no longer be considered just a forest or woodland; it is more like a dense jungle.
Unlike Earth’s Amazon, humidity is scarcely felt here.
“…A sea of trees, huh.”
Helian, growing tired of the unchanging scenery, continues walking in silence.
Initially, his plan was to send the covert soldiers from the Sixth Legion, a demon species specialized in stealth known as the “Invisible Demons,” as scouts. However, as they distanced themselves, they began to lose track of each other’s positions.
Undoubtedly, it must be due to the bewitching effect of this mysterious forest.
Therefore, for the covert soldiers, they were deployed in a state of concealed activation, closely nearby.
The concealment technique used for hiding their presence—beyond just the five senses of sight and hearing, it conceals even their presence—is quite challenging. While they may not have the capacity to engage in combat while maintaining the technique, it shouldn’t pose a problem for now.
It would be best to consider the covert soldiers not as a combat force, but rather as emergency messengers and information gatherers.
(Nonetheless, the scenery really doesn’t change.)
It has been nearly thirty minutes since they passed through the gate and entered the forest. However, no matter where they look, their field of vision is dominated by deep green, making it difficult to maintain a sense of direction.
The group is currently heading northeast, where some artificial structures were observed. But if it were only Helian, he would have likely veered off in the wrong direction by now.
The fact that the scenery doesn’t change also means that there are few significant landmarks. Walking straight ahead in the absence of clear targets can be surprisingly challenging.
However, the reason the group is able to continue straight towards the northeast is solely due to the exceptional skills of their companions.
“It appears that no human hands have touched this place.”
“Yes. However, it’s strange considering that. We can hardly hear the voice of the forest.”
Elthina, whose golden hair reaches down to her waist, responded to Leve’s murmurs.
Her beautiful hair, shining and sparkling in the scarce sunlight, resembled threads of gold.
Elthina, the commander of the Third Legion, belongs to the Ancient Elf race. She possesses a remarkable affinity for the forest terrain.
Furthermore, as the leader of the Third Legion responsible for healing and support during wartime, she is an expert in healing arts. Her extensive knowledge and mastery of various supportive magic will undoubtedly prove to be valuable during this exploratory mission.
On the other hand, Leve, a Moon Wolf known as a Managarm, also has decent affinity for the forest terrain. In terms of overall ability, he is one of the top-ranking individuals within Alchimyra.
“The presence of living beings is incredibly sparse. Even birds and insects are hardly present, which is quite unusual…”
“Yes, it’s abnormal. I can’t even sense the prominent presence of living creatures with my nose.”
As Leve and Elthina mentioned, the group hasn’t encountered anyone thus far. It’s not just humans; even animals seem to be completely absent.
What kind of remote place have they been sent to, after all?
Helian couldn’t help but feel the desire to return already, as the situation seemed completely unpredictable. However, it was impossible to turn back at this point. If the king, who had taken the trouble to gather the honor guards and see them off, were to return just after a short walk in the woods, it would undermine his majesty and authority.
Moreover, the fact that the king himself was risking danger by accompanying the investigation was not without significance. The king player possessed the ability to enhance the stats of subordinates within a close range of about fifty meters by one level.
Don’t underestimate the impact of a mere one-level increase. It often becomes a decisive factor in determining combat effectiveness. In a situation where the lurking dangers were unknown, it was wise to boost their abilities even slightly to deal with any potential threats.
However, if an enemy were to appear who could only be defeated by further enhancing the already immensely powerful stats of the legion commander, Helian, who was physically nothing more than a mere human, could potentially be killed by the aftermath of the battle… But he deliberately chose not to dwell on that thought.
The truth was that Helian couldn’t survive if he didn’t maintain even a slightly positive mindset.
“…Hm?”
“Helian-sama.”
“This is…”
The three of them exclaimed almost simultaneously.
As they continued walking, there was a distinct change in the air coming from a certain point.
Even Helian could sense it.
Despite being quite dim just moments ago, the amount of light penetrating through the forest had significantly increased.
Just a few meters made a remarkable difference in visibility. It was a dramatic change.
Upon receiving Elthina’s report, Helian fell into deep thought.
“Is this corner outside the range of the illusion effect? Or is this the boundary where it transitions into a normal forest?” Helian pondered.
The latter option would be preferable.
Walking around with limited visibility and heightened alertness is something he would rather avoid.
Even if it’s the former, it’s still acceptable.
At least he can take a breather here.
Having walked continuously for thirty minutes was quite challenging for someone like him, who preferred indoor activities. And marching through an unpaved jungle while staying on high alert only added to the tremendous fatigue.
…In the game [Tactics Chronicle], there was no parameter for player fatigue, and one could continue walking indefinitely. However, he deliberately chose not to dwell on that thought.
“Helian!”
Leve’s face turned in a different direction as if she had noticed something.
She was sniffing and twitching her nose. Being a wolf-like beastkin, she possessed the ability to detect and track invisible enemies through her sense of smell. It seemed like she had sensed some presence through her sense of smell.
Quickly, Helian summoned the tactical virtual window, bringing up the Map feature. A transparent map was projected in the air, displaying the surrounding terrain within a few meters.
And in the eastern direction on the Map, quite a distance away, there was a solitary point of light shining.
“The light point is white… Could it be a neutral unit?”
The presence that Leve sensed appeared as a white light point on the Map, indicating that the “knowledge” of its existence had been acquired.
If she hadn’t detected it, the light point wouldn’t have been displayed on the Map.
Due to Leve’s detection within the proximity range—within fifty meters from the player—this information was automatically shared through the Data Sharing system, and only then was it reflected and visualized on the Map.
Although the scope of visualizable information was limited, even just having location information proved to be a valuable asset for strategizing, despite its seemingly modest and less convenient nature.
The white light point was rapidly approaching.
Moreover, it was heading straight toward them.
A frown appeared on Helian’s face. It seemed that the detection was not limited to their side alone.
“Are they coming?”
“Yes.”
Leve equips her gauntlet on her fist.
Despite its slim appearance, the gauntlet, named <Crimson Moon Fang>, possesses tremendous individual attacking power.
While her armor is inconspicuous and designed for reconnaissance purposes—though it still offers decent protection in combat—her weapon is of a decisive battle-grade caliber.
Elthina also wields the golden staff, <Keryneion>, which shines brilliantly.
While its attacking power may be lower compared to weapons of the same rank, it excels in support abilities, particularly in amplifying the effects of healing magic, boasting unmatched high performance in that regard.
With Leve specialized in single-target combat and Elthina being the pinnacle of healing expertise, these two together can handle most adversaries. However, this is the first encounter after being transported, and regardless of one’s intentions, the tension naturally rises.
The light dot on the <map> approaches. It’s now just about fifty meters away, beyond the raised hill formed by the roots of the towering tree within our line of sight. And in a matter of seconds, it appears before us.
“Grrrrrrr…!”
Emerging from the thick underbrush was a creature best described as a gigantic wolf.
With a towering stature surpassing five meters and gray fur, it possessed large, sharp white fangs protruding from its mouth, while its crimson eyes emitted a ferocious gleam. One could imagine that if the mythical forest guardian known as the mountain dog from an old masterpiece film were further scaled up, it would resemble this creature.
It was a monster that could easily devour a human in one gulp.
“Is this the first contact?!”
In games, I’ve encountered countless creatures of this size and even larger. Among my followers, there are dragons measuring tens of meters and even giants present.
However, the presence of this creature is different.
The scent of its body carried by the wind.
The rhythmically irregular and fierce breathing.
The unmistakably aggressive intent in its red eyes.
The anticipation in its front paw movements, ready to pounce.
The calculated movement of its tail, measuring the timing.
These gestures, absent from the game, now carried an overwhelming sense of realism that struck Helian’s senses with a profound sense of danger.
The once-white dot on the map turned red.
Everyone recognized the pseudo-mountain dog as the enemy.
The red marker indicated an adversary.
An enemy.
A threat that sought to devour them.
The realization caused Helian’s knees to tremble.
“Le–”
Just as Helian was about to desperately call upon the name of his most trusted subordinate, an immense pressure surged from beside him, directed towards the pseudo-mountain dog.
In an instant, the creature leaped up as if startled, emitting a howl of distress, and turned its back. Without even glancing back, it swiftly fled with its tail tucked between its legs.
…It was the epitome of a defeated dog.
“What a small fry. Merely exuding a murderous intent was enough for it to understand that it couldn’t oppose us.”
Muttering nonchalantly is Leve, the apex predator as the “Moon Wolf Managarm,” a wolf beastman.
It seems that our esteemed aide to the king possesses the combat prowess to casually dismiss such a monstrosity as a small fry.
…Well, if we think about it calmly, it’s only natural that Leve, my first and most trusted subordinate whom I’ve nurtured, is stronger than a stray monster wandering in the woods—unless it’s an underling of another faction or a boss-level enemy.
It is indeed a natural outcome, but it feels strange to think that a regular-sized Leve, compared to that enormous beast, is far stronger. In fact, it would be more accurate to say that it’s hard to imagine a woman defeating a monster, let alone that particular scenario.
This strange sense of reality, which I began to feel suddenly, must be influencing me.
Amidst his ongoing confusion, Helian ponders whether he is still unsettled. Just then, Elthina reacts to something, her characteristic long elven ears twitching restlessly.
(Tactical Virtual Window: Reopen. Selection: Map)
He initiates a mental command to redisplay the Map.
As a result of Elthina’s data sharing through <Information Sharing Data>, two white dots now appear on the Map, quite far away to the upper right, in the northeast.
The two dots continue to move. About fifty meters behind the leading dot, the second dot follows as if in pursuit. This means…
“Your Majesty.”
“There is something in the northeast. Two entities.”
“Yes. They seem to be moving together, but not heading towards us.”
“…It appears that the leading entity is being chased.”
As Helian mutters, Elthina’s ears twitched in response.
“What is it? What did you hear, Elthina?”
“…Faintly, something like a scream.”
“――Hurry, let’s go!”
They sprinted forward, ignoring the fatigue in their legs.
The fact that they heard a scream means that there is a person involved.
Based on the situation, the light ahead――the one being pursued――belongs to a person. As for the one doing the chasing, it’s unclear, but the distance between them wasn’t significant. There was a need to hurry.
Within just a few steps of sprinting, Leve and Elthina lined up side by side.
The difference in athletic ability between Helian, a human, and these two, who were creatures of magic, was evident and to be expected. However, the fact that they clearly slowed down to run alongside him bruised his pride as a man, even if only slightly.
(No, this is no time to be thinking about such trivial matters! Hurry!)
The white dot on the map flickered.
The outline of the dot became faint, and the smooth movement that was displayed before now appeared fragmented. It was like a car navigation system with poor GPS sensitivity.
This was because the noise they made while running had reduced Elthina’s auditory perception accuracy. Perhaps due to the considerable distance to the target or the direction of the wind, Leve’s sense of smell had yet to pick up any traces.
They had moved from their previous location, but the brightness of the surroundings remained unchanged. It seemed that the assumption that “beyond that point, it returns to being an ordinary forest” was the correct one.
However, it was still quite dark to the human eye.
The footing was treacherous, and with each step, they risked getting stuck in the decaying foliage.
The dense forest terrain was already difficult to traverse.
The distance to their elusive target seemed endless, frustrating them.
They didn’t know who or what was chasing them, but as humans, there was no doubt that communication was possible. In this situation where they knew so little, this unknown pursuer was a valuable source of information. They couldn’t afford to let them escape, nor could they risk being killed by whatever was chasing them.
“Ha… Ha… Ha…! C-Come on… Leve!”
Within just fifty meters, their breathing became ragged. It was only natural given the poor footing of the mountain path and their own lack of physical exercise.
Amidst their labored breaths, they managed to call out Leve’s name, commanding them to take the lead…
“I understand! Excuse me, sir!”
However, contrary to their intentions, Leve misunderstood and instead lifted the Helian’s leg with their right hand, supporting their back with their right upper arm.
Leve’s left hand rested on the Helian’s shoulder to ensure their balance.
It became a peculiar form resembling a modified version of a princess carry.
Moreover, the composition was reversed, with the genders swapped.
Silence hung in the air.
There were countless things the Helian wanted to say… And while it dealt a near-fatal blow to their pride as a man, the pain exchanged for this arrangement resulted in a significantly increased speed.
With a velocity that felt several times faster than before, they swiftly approached the location where the light had been, feeling the rush of wind.
Within the blurred field of vision, the movement of the light point on the <map> became smoother.
It can be inferred that either it entered Leve’s range of olfactory detection or they had approached close enough for Elthina’s hearing to pick up the sounds during their movement.
They were now very close.
Once they crossed the small hill ahead, it would come into view.
They crossed the hill.
The field of vision opened up.
A figure could be seen in the distance, standing alone.
A beast pursued that figure.
The distance between them was only a few meters.
There was no time to waste.
Words raced out before any thoughts could form.
“Elthina! Intercept the pursuers with your magic beasts!”
In the heat of the moment, I instinctively used the <key language keyword>.
Although it was an impulsive decision, the command was conveyed effectively through the sentence.
A response appeared in the form of magical manifestations.
A blade of wind was unleashed without an incantation and soared forward.
The magic spell prioritized speed over power.
The blade of wind tore through the ground between the two parties, causing the pursuers to leap back in surprise.
The distance between them, which had been on the verge of zero, widened.
The incantation continues.
Thirteen blades of wind are formed once again.
They are shot out in rapid succession, further widening the distance between the two parties.
Finally, they have approached a distance where the figure of the pursued individual becomes discernible.
Examining the silhouette, it is indeed a person. There is no doubt about it. They wear a robe that covers their face, making it difficult to identify them, but their body shape appears to be that of an average-sized individual, neither a dwarf nor a giant.
They, too, seem to have noticed our presence. They appear surprised by the blades of wind.
Furthermore, the pursuer is indeed a type of magical beast.
It is a black, dog-like creature. Unlike the wolf-like creature from earlier, it is of a standard dog size.
It had a resemblance to a Doberman, but its eyes were bloodshot, and red veins-like lines floated and protruded all over its body. It was clearly a magical beast.
Moreover, it was a never-before-seen creature, an unknown threat whose level of danger was unknown.
“Release me, Leve!”
His hand was released.
Following gravity, Helian’s feet touched the ground.
With the same speed as before, he came to a stop, scraping the ground nearly two meters with both feet.
He felt grateful for having replaced his sturdy greaves, as he sensed the friction against the ground with the soles of his shoes. If he had been wearing his usual shoes, he might have sprained his ankle.
Leve, who released his hand, leaped forward and stood before Helian as a shield.
It seemed she had chosen to be his protector. She wouldn’t leave his side. In that case, the only available pawn was Elthina. Although there were other covert operatives, they were primarily record keepers and emergency contact personnel. They couldn’t be exposed. The options were limited.
I think quickly, processing information at high speed.
There’s no time to ponder leisurely. There’s no room for observation. I don’t know the strength of the enemy. I want to believe that the pursuing dog-like demon is weaker than the earlier mutt, but in [Tactics Chronicle], strength measured by physique is not a reliable indicator.
For now, I prioritize rescue and unleash a diversionary magic.
“Elhina! Use Wind Blades to create a diversion! Don’t let the enemy get closer!”
“O wind, transform into blades and race forth――’Wind Blades: Wind Edge!’”
Through a complete incantation, the wind blades were released three times.
Having dedicated their energy to the incantation without moving, this time, a total of thirty wind blades soared through the air.
Though it was a lower-level magic focused on rapid-fire, it was sufficient for creating a diversion.
Now, observe the enemy’s response and devise a strategy――
“………… Huh?” ――
There was no need to engage.
The dog-like demon, cornered by the wind blades, had nowhere to escape. Without the ability to evade, resist, or endure, it was swiftly torn apart by the wind blades.
The dog-like demon turned into dozens of flesh fragments that pattered and fell to the ground.
“Did… we do it?”
They had been on guard for a while, considering the possibility of it being an undead creature, but the dog-like demon, now reduced to fragments of flesh, showed no signs of movement.
It seemed that this was truly the end of it.
The unexpectedly swift outcome left them in a state of disbelief.
“An advanced wind magic…? But without a catalyst, how…?”
It was an unfamiliar voice, tinged with a hint of youthfulness.
When they turned their gaze, they saw a girl who, like them, was in a state of bewilderment.
The reason for her stunned expression seemed to be different from their own, but regardless of that.
“Was it a girl?”
Startled by Helian’s voice, the girl turned around in haste. In the process, the hood she had been wearing slipped off, revealing her face. She had fair skin, well-defined features of Western descent, and most notably, long ears that were distinctly unique. The race with ears shaped like bamboo leaves was…
“An elf, perhaps?”
Elthina, standing by Helian’s side, belonged to the same lineage of species.